The EU as global actor and its influence on the global gender regime

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Reflections

3. EU as a global actor in trade

4. Analysis of the Sustainable Impact Assessments (SIAs)

5. Conclusion

6. Bibliography

Objectives & Core Themes

This dissertation examines the extent and impact of the European Union in promoting its shared values, specifically gender equality, through its external trade policies. It questions whether there is coherence between the EU's internal commitment to gender equality and its external trade actions, particularly through the lens of Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs).

• The role of the EU as a global actor in trade.
• Theoretical frameworks for understanding EU external influence.
• The integration of gender equality in EU social and trade policy.
• Critical analysis of gender perspectives within Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs).
• The coherence gap between internal EU gender standards and external trade impacts.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the historical evolution of the EU and its transformation from a postwar peace project into a global economic power, setting the context for the dissertation's investigation into the EU's external influence.

2. Theoretical Reflections: This section reviews major International Relations theories—Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, and Feminism—to establish a feminist constructivist framework suitable for analyzing the EU's global impact on gender norms.

3. EU as a global actor in trade: This chapter analyzes the EU's power through trade, detailing how it leverages its single market as a regulatory superpower and how trade negotiations are structured, including the role of the European Commission.

4. Analysis of the Sustainable Impact Assessments (SIAs): This chapter provides an empirical review of existing SIAs to determine how, and to what extent, gender equality is integrated as a factor in evaluating the impacts of EU trade agreements.

5. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes findings to argue that the EU's external promotion of gender equality is secondary to its economic interests, revealing a gap between the EU's internal values and its external trade impacts.

6. Bibliography: This section lists all academic sources, EU documents, and technical reports cited throughout the dissertation.

Keywords

European Union, Gender Equality, Trade Policy, Sustainability Impact Assessments, Feminism, Constructivism, External Policy, Gender Mainstreaming, Global Actor, Normative Power, Economic Growth, International Relations, Trade Agreements, Social Policy, Gender Regimes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this dissertation?

The dissertation explores the EU's external influence on gender regimes globally, specifically analyzing whether the EU successfully promotes its internal commitment to gender equality through its external trade agreements.

What are the primary thematic areas covered?

The research covers EU trade mechanisms, International Relations theories concerning the EU's role, the development of gender policy within the EU, and the critical evaluation of how gender impacts are assessed in trade agreements.

What is the primary research objective?

The primary objective is to determine if there is coherence between the EU's stated internal values of gender equality and its external trade policies, and whether the EU uses its power through trade to improve gender equality in partner countries.

Which scientific methodology does the author utilize?

The author employs a feminist constructivist approach to analyze empirical data, specifically conducting a qualitative review and classification of Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) to identify patterns in how gender is (or is not) addressed.

What is examined in the main body of the work?

The main body examines the theoretical foundations of the EU as a global actor, the evolution of its gender equality policy, and a detailed audit of 48 Sustainability Impact Assessments to evaluate how trade negotiators account for gendered impacts.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

Key terms include European Union, Gender Equality, Trade Policy, Sustainability Impact Assessments, Normative Power, and Feminist Constructivism.

Why are Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) critical to the author's argument?

SIAs are critical because they are the formal instruments through which the European Commission assesses the potential social consequences of trade agreements; the author uses them to demonstrate that gender is often treated as secondary to macroeconomic growth.

What does the author conclude about the EU's influence on global gender regimes?

The author concludes that while the EU has a global impact, it does not consciously direct this influence toward achieving gender equality; rather, economic interests typically outweigh gender concerns, revealing a contradiction in the EU's external policy coherence.